Advocating for the Bayside Neighborhood in Portland, Maine
Category: Citizens’ Trash Brigade
The Citizens’ Trash Brigade is an idea that literally came to team lead Megan Holt in a dream — complete with the snazzy moniker. The CTB keeps Bayside clean and beautiful through regular community cleanups and volunteer action. Beyond the longstanding tradition of annual spring and fall neighborhood cleanups that bring neighbors together to prepare for changing seasons, the CTB has expanded to include monthly targeted “walk the block” cleanups that focus on one street at a time. Armed with gloves, bags, pickers, and community spirit, volunteers meet at designated locations to tackle litter while strengthening neighborhood bonds. Recent cleanups have been enhanced by partnerships with local businesses who offer discount coupons to volunteers, turning civic duty into an opportunity to support Bayside shops and services while making a visible difference in the neighborhood’s appearance.
Megan Holt, Team Lead — Rob Sylvain, Board Liaison
Contact ctb@baysideportland.org for more information
The City of Portland asked us to help share information about a great program run by Age Friendly Portland. They are looking for volunteers who can shovel snow for an elderly neighbor this winter, and they’re also seeking Neighborhood Coordinators—particularly from the Rosemont and Deering Center neighborhoods—to help match Portland homeowners with volunteers.
If you are a Portland homeowner age 65+ in need of snow removal assistance, please call 207-541-6620.
ALSO: CTB Block Walk Dec 19th
The BNA Citizens’ Trash Brigade continues monthly block walks, sun or snow! We pick a block to pick up trash along our sidewalks, and if there’s snow, we shovel! Every Baysider knows that although property owners are responsible for their sidewalks, when it snows there are always some stretches of sidewalk that don’t get shoveled, whether by ignorance, neglect or special needs. We know clear sidewalks are only good if the paths connect, so we’re committed to helping bridge the gaps, and we could use your help too. Meet 3pm Friday December 19th at 28 Portland Street.
If you’d like to hear more about the BNA’s Citizen Trash Brigade, email ctb@baysideportland.org
meet @ Bayside Community Garden on Chestnut Street
Every year for decades Bayside neighbors and friends have come together to cleanup our streets and sidewalks and enjoy each other’s company in preparation for the winter. This year every participant will be given a valuable Bayside Business Coupon Card, good for deep discounts at sponsoring Bayside restaurants, shops, services, venues and vendors.
We’ll meet at the Bayside Community Garden on Chestnut Street and choose routes from there. Trash bags, gloves, pickers, water, coffee and snacks are provided.
Thanks to our local businesses who offered discounts to volunteers: Leavitt & Sons Deli Two Fat Cats Bakery Lay Day Coffee Roasters The Studio Portland Fortune Teller Tattoo Cyclebar Maine Clay Collaborative Isa Bistro F45 Training Bayside Bowl Check back in the Spring for your chance to earn a Bayside Business Coupon Card from the BNA!
Lots going on in Bayside, and the BNA teams are rising to meet the moment. If you want to join a team, just send an email to any of the groups below, and a team lead will get back to you asap. If you have an idea for a team and want to get it started, we want to hear from you. Let’s do it!
Safe Streets Team Public Safety, Walkability, Infrastructure, Crime prevention
Student Group liason to Baxter Academy and Portland High School
Tech Team Website, Workspace, Social Media, Calendar, Newsletter, etc.
Tenants’ Team Renters’ perspectives are at the forefront of this team’s activity.
Tree Team overseeing planting and maintenance, trails and green spaces
The Tech Team is working on better communication pathways for the general membership, including mailchimp, which will allow us to send targeted email news and allow subscribers to tailor how they receive updates from various teams. We’re also now using google workspace to organize teams into google groups that can share files, calendar events, to-do lists, plus follow and archive conversations by topic within each team and between teams. Setting up the groups in a way that is simple to use but powerful enough to keep track of team tasks and communications, calendar events, shared files and important links has proven to be a challenge, but worthwhile. If you have experience and/or interest in admin tools please consider joining the tech team and helping us out.
Recent News
December’s Safe Streets Meeting was met with a strong response from the community and from the media. Troy Bennett from Bangor Daily News was in attendance and wrote this article about the effort and subsequently WCSH6 Newscenter Maine picked up the story as did WGME CBS13 shown below. The next Safe Streets Team meeting will be Tuesday, February 25th, 6:00pm in the Steve Hirshon Community Room at Unity Village, 24 Stone Street, Portland.
If you missed last month’s BNA Board meeting on zoom, you can view a recording of it here: BNA Board Meeting January 7 2025 See below for details on the next board meeting.
Upcoming Events
Saturday January 25, 11am BNA Citizens’ Trash Brigade Parris Street Block Walk
UPDATE: With the recent snowfall we’re pivoting to salt & sand for sidewalks on Parris Street, which has several spots that need attention. We’ll provide buckets of sand & salt from the city lot, shovels and a few ice choppers. If you have an ice chopper please bring it! We’ll warm up afterward at Wilson BBQ.
OP: We’re coming together for a short pickup party targeting Preble Street in particular, focusing on bits and butts that get overlooked during the Spring & Fall cleanup, and also to get eyes on the street to take stock of the pedestrian experience, flag infrastructure concerns, and to get to know each other. Afterward we’re planning to gather at Wilson BBQ to warm up, wind down, and plan for next month’s block walk. We’ll meet at 72 Parris Street and walk together. Trash bags and gloves provided.
Monday January 27, 6:00pm Portland Music Hall Presentation Composing Room @ Press Hotel 119 Exchange St, Portland, ME
The BNA Development Developments Team invites Baysiders to attend a public presentation by Portland Performance Ventures, LLC on their proposal for a 3,300-seat Live Nation music venue at the site of the old Press Herald printing press building across Myrtle Street from the Merrill Auditorium in Bayside. More information on the project is available on the city of portland website here: https://selfservice.portlandmaine.gov/
Wednesday January 29, 8:30am Bayside Business Breakfast Club Isa Bistro, 79 Portland St. Portland, ME
The Bayside Neighborhood Association is starting 2025 with a renewed commitment to connecting with diverse stakeholders and providing opportunities for community members to come together in pursuit of shared goals. To that end, we’re excited to present the first of what will be monthly events specifically for Bayside business owners to meet in an informal setting to meet, chat, and plan a better future for all Baysiders.
Mission Statement: “The Bayside Neighborhood Association (BNA) empowers the Bayside community by building meaningful partnerships that promote health, safety, green spaces, diversity, housing, and sustainable development for all who live, work, and play in this unique urban neighborhood.”
We need your help! Please consider a tax-deductible donation to the BNA, a 501c(3) non-profit organization. Contact Jim Hall, treasurer for more information at jim@baysideportland.org
It’s time to do a little spring cleaning! Join your friends and neighbors on Saturday, April 23 2022 10AM – 12PM for snacks, a chance to win a gift certificate, and a big dose of community pride. All volunteers entered for a chance to win a gift certificate to a great Bayside business – Leavitt & Son’s Deli, Wilson County BBQ, Maine Oyster Company, Bayside Bowl, and Bayside American Cafe!
